


The Scars She Bears

by 1TeaBinch



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Lots of Crying, Post Season 5, Scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:15:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24423379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1TeaBinch/pseuds/1TeaBinch
Summary: After Horde Prime's defeat, Catra and Adora spend their first night alone, together.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 48
Kudos: 527





	The Scars She Bears

**Author's Note:**

> So I saw a post on tumblr that headcanoned Adora having scars from a bunch of dumb things, and my ass decided to think of a very angsty reason for her scars, hope you enjoy!

The days following Horde Prime’s defeat were frankly, a mess. Between the celebrations, planning the recovery for countless towns, cities, and kingdoms, and freeing Prime’s clones from their brainwashing, everyone was tired.

The return to Bright Moon was much more peaceful in contrast to all the frantic days they'd spent fighting and rebuilding. Most of the princesses went back to their kingdoms to begin their individual recovery plans. Which just left the best friend squad to return to Bright Moon. 

It was decided, by Glimmer, that the first order of business was a few full days of rest before everything went back to being busy, and no one had the heart to argue, they’d finally finished fighting a decades long war, rest sounded good.

It was also, coincidentally the first night since Prime’s defeat that Catra and Adora could really just spend time alone, together. In Adora’s castle room, the sunset tinting everything a brilliant orange hue, they were getting ready to rest.

“Wow, Adora, can’t believe this is where you’ve been sleeping for what, three years now? Never took pink for your color.”

“Oh, shut up, you think I picked it? I practically had to beg Glimmer to get me a bed that wasn’t trying to eat me.”

Both of them laughed, before a comforting silence blanketed the room. 

Catra’s vision was brought to Adora as she slowly began to get changed. Undoing her stupid, cute hair poof and belt. She couldn’t bring herself to look away as Adora lifted her shirt up. 

And the breath left her lungs.

For the first time in years, Catra could see Adora’s body. The flexing muscles beneath pale skin. 

She never expected this.

Adora’s back was littered with them, scars. Some she knew the cause of. Two sets of claw marks from her shoulder blades to her waist. Another one diagonal across her spine. But there were more.

So many more. Some looked like scorch marks from blasters, or gashes from some blade. Her arms were no better. Forearms and biceps interspersed with multi inch long gashes to smaller nicks that were barely visible in the fading sunlight.

Catra felt her stomach drop. Could feel the rapid nausea throwing her stomach for a loop. But she couldn’t look away.

And of course Adora noticed. Noticed how Catra’s entire body went stiff in the edges of her vision. How her breathing stopped altogether.

“Catra? You oka-” Adora’s eyes met hers, saw the tears welling up, the pain in that split colored gaze. 

In a moment that Catra couldn’t register, Adora was in front of her, gently cupping her face. Catra couldn’t think about that, all she could think about was how Adora had been hurt, over and over again. Even facing her now, Catra could make out a wide section of Adora’s side, covered in a single large patch of burned skin. 

Visions of tanks, at her command, firing upon Adora flooded her mind. Catra shut her eyes, instinctively clawing at her scalp. Her breathing returned, in a series of short, shuddering gasps, as sobs began to tear through her body.

“I-I-i’m s-so sorry, Adora! I didn’t mean to, I thought you’d be fine. I’m sorry, i’m sorry, i’m sor-”

Catra’s desperate apology was cut off by Adora’s fingers interlocking with her own. Slowly leading her hands into an all encompassing hug. 

With Catra firmly in her arms, Adora whispered softly, “Shhhhh, it’s okay, Catra, i’m okay. It’s in the past now, stay with me in the present, please.”

The gentle kindness of it all was too much, and Catra cried in her arms. 

When her sobs finally died down, the sun had finished setting. The room now filled with a calming silver glow. And when Catra finally opened her eyes again, she saw that silver glow reflected in the brilliant blue of Adora’s eyes, staring right at her.

“Hey. You okay?” 

Catra laughed. She couldn’t help it. Here was Adora, stupid, sweet, brave Adora. Body marred and beaten from years of fighting someone else’s war. And she was worried about her.

“Me? You’re worried about me?” Catra couldn’t keep the incredulous tone out of her voice. This woman would be the death of her.

“Well, yeah. Here I was getting changed, and you started crying. I didn’t realize I was that hideous.” Catra would’ve laughed, it would’ve been funny any other time. But this time, she had to speak up.

“You’re not.” Catra pulled her hands from Adora’s, gently cupping her face. She stared into those pools of blue for what felt like an eternity.

“You’re beautiful, Adora.” Adora’s eyes went wide at her admission, but Catra pushed on, she needed to say this.

“You always were, and you still are, and i’m so, so, so sorry. For all of the pain I caused you. If I’d just come with you sooner, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt so much, and i’m so damn sorry, Adora.” 

Catra’s voice was shaking, tears threatening to start spilling again. But there was Adora again, providing the comfort she so desperately needed.

Her arms wrapped around Catra’s waist, pulling her into a soft embrace. 

“Shhh, Catra, I mean it, it’s okay. You made mistakes, but you’re trying to be better now, and you’re here, and that’s all that matters to me, okay?”

Despite herself, Catra nodded into the crook of Adora’s neck, accepting the comfort she gave so freely. 

They sat in silence, holding each other for a long while. Before, finally, Catra pulled away, and looked back into Adora’s brilliant blue eyes.

“I want to see them. All of them.” Adora’s eyebrows shot up at that. “Are you sure you want to do this, Catra?”

“Yes. Please.”

“Okay.”

Slowly, Adora pulled away from Catra, standing in an illuminated part of the room, the silvery beam of light making her look almost ethereal. But she was real, she was here.

Finally, Adora stood in front of her, wearing just her underclothes. Cheeks tinted pink.

Catra didn’t even realize she had stood up, reaching out to touch her, to feel that she was real.

“Can I?” A sharp nod was Adora’s reply, and Catra’s hands pressed against her side.

Gently feeling the large section of melted flesh, Catra spoke. “Tank blaster?”

Adora was quiet for a moment. Should she play along with this? Clearly this was painful for Catra, but she trusted her. If this was what would help her, she’d play along.

“Yeah…”

Catra paused at her legs. Both of them carrying a series of fresh and jagged scars that Catra couldn't place. "How?"

She heard Adora take a deep breath. Steadying herself before speaking. 

"When we were on Prime's ship, and you fell, I couldn't leave you, so I jumped after you." Adora's voice turned into a whisper by the end. Afraid of how this revelation might hurt Catra.

It took a moment, before Catra exhaled a quiet, "Oh."

Adora could feel Catra's hands trembling. Gently she threaded her fingers through Catra's hair. Opting to scratch her behind the ears, hoping to soothe her in some way.

When Catra stands back up, tears at the edges of her eyes, her hands caress their way up her neck, up her cheeks, to a single faint scar at her temple.

Again, Catra can’t figure it out, so she asks. “How?”

Adora shuts her eyes. She can’t look at her right now. Not when she sees so much pain and tenderness in Catra’s eyes.

“After princess prom. When we came to rescue Glimmer and Bow. Weaver caught me. She was going to-” Another steadying breath. She could feel Catra’s thumbs softly rubbing circles into her cheeks. “Weaver was angry, she was trying to use the Black Garnet to erase my memories. Of everyone. That way I could be her perfect little soldier again.”

Adora opened her eyes. Catra was crying again, looking right at her. Adora had to say something, had to try. “It’s in the past now. She failed, and now, she can’t hurt us anymore.”

As she spoke, her hands slid up to Catra’s resting on her cheeks. Gently she pried them off and interlaced their fingers, before Catra continued examining her scars.

It was painfully slow. Catra identifying every scar, some too small for Adora to even remember, but Catra would still ask. She wanted to, no, had to know all of them. 

Finally, she came to the last ones, and the ones she knew painfully well. Gently Catra ran her fingertips over the claw marks on Adora’s back. Circling back to the single, much fresher mark in the middle.

“Me.” Adora released a breath she’d been holding since Catra started tracing the claw marks. “You.”

Catra was quiet for only a moment before speaking again. “Can I ask you something?”

“S-sure, go ahead.”

“Why are there so many? I thought She-Ra healed you?” 

Catra felt the muscles on Adora’s back tense. Heard the sharp intake of breath. “Adora?”

“She does. She heals me.”

“But?” For a moment Catra wasn’t sure if Adora would say, her body stock still, as she fought with the voice in her mind. But, she spoke eventually.

“But, if I don’t need her, I turn back.” Catra’s eyebrows shot up. Realization dawned on her.

“Adora, let me get this straight. You turn back to normal, even when you’re still injured? If the battle’s over?” Adora didn’t voice her reply, she just nodded her head.

Catra couldn’t help the scoff that pulled itself from her lips. “You’re joking, right? This has to be a joke! Right, Adora?” Her voice was pitching upwards. This was insane, it couldn’t be true.

“I’m serious, Catra.”

And just like that the tears were back in her eyes, as Catra gripped Adora’s shoulders.

“You’re serious? Adora, that’s insane! Why would you turn back if you’re still hurt?”

Adora turned on her in an instant, pain and fear in her eyes.  
“Because what if someone got hurt? What if i’m healed up and someone else gets hurt and I don’t have enough magic left to save them?! I can’t do that Catra, I can’t lose someone just because I chose to be selfish!”

Tears were streaming down Adora’s face now. The anger in her expression quickly turned to pain, to grief, to fear. 

“I can’t risk anyone, I just can’t, Catra.”

Softly, Catra lifted her chin, making eye contact with Adora.

“What about you?” Adora’s brows furrowed, confusion clear on her face.

“What about you? What if you can’t save yourself? How are you supposed to save anyone if you don’t make it?” Catra could see the gears turning. See Adora trying to figure out a way to defend herself, she wouldn’t let her.

“What if they all lost you, Adora? What if I lost you?” Catra’s hands were on her again. Gently threading through her hair, pulling her in. 

Catra whispered against her lips, the ghost of kiss, “I can’t lose you, Adora.”

Adora’s arms wound themselves around her waist, pressing her close. “I know. I’m, i’ll try to be better.”

Catra returned the embrace so tightly she thought she might hurt Adora, but she needed this.

“Thank you.”


End file.
